Taming Your Timeline: How to Block Highlights on Facebook

Want to reclaim your Facebook feed from the algorithm’s clutches? You’re not alone. The “Highlights” feature, designed to surface what Facebook thinks you want to see, can often feel like an unwelcome intrusion, flooding your feed with content you’re not particularly interested in. Thankfully, taming the algorithmic beast is possible.

The Direct Answer: How to Block Highlights on Facebook

There isn’t a single, universally applied “off switch” for Highlights on Facebook. Instead, you’ll need to take a multi-pronged approach to curate your feed and minimize their appearance. Here’s how:

• Adjust Your News Feed Preferences: This is your primary weapon. Navigate to your News Feed Preferences (usually accessible by clicking the down arrow in the top-right corner of Facebook and selecting “Settings & Privacy” then “News Feed Preferences”). Here you’ll find several options:
  • Prioritize who to see first: Selecting friends and pages here ensures their content appears at the top of your feed, pushing less relevant highlights further down.
  • Unfollow people and Pages to hide their posts: This doesn’t unfriend or unlike them, it simply hides their content from your feed. Use this liberally on accounts that consistently generate highlights you dislike.
  • Reconnect with people and Pages you unfollowed: Use this to reverse actions taken in the previous step.
  • Snooze people, Pages and groups for 30 days: A less permanent version of unfollowing, useful if you’re just tired of seeing content from a specific source for a short period.
• Engage Strategically: Facebook’s algorithm learns from your behavior. Like, comment on, and share content from friends and pages you do want to see. Conversely, avoid interacting with content that triggers unwanted highlights. Even passively scrolling past things you dislike can influence the algorithm.
• Utilize the “See First” Feature: For your closest friends and essential pages, use the “See First” option (found by hovering over their profile and clicking the three dots “…”) to ensure their content is always at the top of your feed.
• Report Irrelevant Content: When you see a highlight you find irrelevant, click the three dots in the upper right corner of the post and select “Hide post” and then specify why you are hiding it (e.g., “It’s not relevant to me”). This provides direct feedback to Facebook’s algorithm.
• Join and Actively Participate in Groups: Groups tend to show up more prominently in your feed and are often based on shared interests, potentially pushing back the algorithmically-driven highlights.
• Use the “Most Recent” Feed (Temporarily): While Facebook no longer offers a permanently “Most Recent” feed view, you can temporarily switch to it. This displays posts in chronological order, bypassing the algorithm altogether. Note: This setting reverts after a while, so it’s not a long-term solution.

By combining these tactics, you can significantly reduce the influence of highlights and regain control of your Facebook feed. It takes consistent effort, but the reward is a more personalized and enjoyable browsing experience.

Delving Deeper: Understanding Facebook Highlights

What Exactly Are Facebook “Highlights?”

“Highlights” on Facebook are essentially posts that the platform’s algorithm believes are the most relevant to you, based on your past interactions, friends, and interests. They are designed to prioritize content and ensure you don’t miss what Facebook deems important. However, this algorithmic curation can often miss the mark, leading to irrelevant or unwanted content appearing in your feed.

Why Are Highlights Showing Up So Frequently?

The frequency of highlights is determined by Facebook’s algorithm and its assessment of your engagement with different types of content. If you’ve recently engaged with a particular topic, page, or friend, the algorithm might interpret that as a signal to show you more related content, which can manifest as highlights. The algorithm also considers the popularity of a post (likes, comments, shares) as a factor in determining its relevance.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Blocking Facebook Highlights

Here are 12 frequently asked questions, providing further details and solutions to help you take control of your Facebook feed:

1. Can I completely disable the algorithmic news feed and only see posts in chronological order?

   Unfortunately, no. Facebook removed the permanent option to view your news feed in strict chronological order. The “Most Recent” view is temporary and reverts to the algorithm-driven feed after you navigate away or after a certain time. You will have to manually switch to the “Most Recent” filter from time to time.

2. Will unfollowing a page mean I won’t see any of their content ever again?

   Not necessarily. If a friend interacts with a post from that page (e.g., liking or commenting), it might still appear in your feed as a “friend’s activity” post. To completely avoid seeing content from a page, even indirectly, you might need to block the page.

3. Does reporting a highlight as irrelevant actually work?

   Yes, it does, but it takes time. Facebook’s algorithm learns from the feedback it receives. Consistently reporting irrelevant highlights helps the algorithm understand your preferences and refine its content selection. Be patient and persistent.

4. If I “Snooze” a friend for 30 days, will they know?

   No. The “Snooze” feature is private. Your friend will not be notified that you’ve temporarily hidden their posts from your feed.

5. I’m seeing highlights from groups I’m not even a member of. How is that possible?

   This usually happens when friends interact with posts from public groups. Facebook assumes you might be interested in the group based on your connection to your friend. To prevent this, consider adjusting your privacy settings to limit the visibility of your friend’s activity.

6. Is there a difference between “Unfollow” and “Hide Post”?

   Yes. “Unfollow” hides all future posts from a specific person or page from your feed. “Hide Post” only hides the specific post you selected and might reduce the likelihood of similar posts appearing in the future. Use “Unfollow” for a more comprehensive solution.

7. Will using the “See First” feature guarantee I never see highlights?

   No. “See First” only ensures that content from your prioritized friends and pages appears at the top of your feed. Highlights may still appear lower down.

8. How does Facebook determine what’s a “Highlight” versus a regular post?

   Facebook’s algorithm considers numerous factors, including your past interactions (likes, comments, shares), the popularity of the post (engagement rate), the type of content (video, image, text), and the relationship between you and the poster.

9. Could my browser history or activity on other websites influence the highlights I see on Facebook?

   Yes, potentially. Facebook uses data from various sources, including its own platform, connected apps, and even, to some extent, browsing activity tracked via the Facebook Pixel and other tracking technologies. This data helps them create a more comprehensive profile of your interests. Review and adjust your ad settings and privacy settings within Facebook to limit this tracking.

10. Is there a third-party app or browser extension that can block Facebook highlights?

    While some browser extensions claim to filter Facebook content, exercise caution when using third-party apps, especially those that require access to your Facebook account. They may pose security risks or violate Facebook’s terms of service. Focus on using Facebook’s built-in tools for managing your feed.

11. If I block someone, will their highlights still show up if a mutual friend shares them?

    No. If you block someone, you will not see any of their content, directly or indirectly, even if a mutual friend shares it. Blocking is the most effective way to completely eliminate someone’s presence from your Facebook experience.

12. I’ve tried everything, and I’m still seeing irrelevant highlights. What else can I do?

    Unfortunately, Facebook’s algorithm is complex and constantly evolving. If you’ve exhausted all available options and are still dissatisfied, consider reducing your overall time spent on Facebook or focusing on using alternative platforms for connecting with friends and family. Continuously refining your news feed preferences and reporting irrelevant content remain your best long-term strategies.